


Cats and flatbread

by mistress_of_shadows



Series: miles/scar shiptober challange [8]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Cats, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Lazy Mornings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-12-07 10:08:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20974133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistress_of_shadows/pseuds/mistress_of_shadows
Summary: It's Miles birthday and after much insistence from Scar they celebrate the Ishvalan way. Which is to say that one does nothing aside from be pampered and relax.





	Cats and flatbread

I rolled over in bed, expecting to find Scar on the other side, but was only met with fur and a sleepy meow. Blinking awake, I found myself surrounded by three cats, but no lover. I pet Gracie, her calico pelt underhand, as I decided if I wanted to get up yet. Mary meeped as she walked from the end of the bed, up me, to sit on my shoulder. The black cat deciding that my sideburns needed washing, her rough tongue scraping the hairs the wrong way, and tickling my cheek.

Scar had promised the influx of cats was only temporary while we found homes for them, or people came to reclaim the pets they had to leave when in such a hurry to escape those long years ago. But I knew, Scar would hardly give up any of the cats. Our house was almost more of an animal rescue than anything else. I’d be more annoyed if Scar wasn't so happy and at peace with the chance to help all the critters. Lex bit my toe, the orange tabby deciding he wanted the bed to himself. Then again, some days I almost wished for a day that I didn’t have to contented with the furry vermin.

Grumbling, I nudged Mary away and rolled out of bed. The sun much higher in the sky than it normally would be when I was getting up. I might not have work today but there was still plenty to get done, not that I had any real hope of doing any of it. I had to avoid a fourth cat as I stepped out of bed; little minx having a knack for being exactly where you wanted to put your foot at any given time.

I’d never had pets of my own, my family had had one when I was a child, but when moving out I hadn't taken in any animals. Military life, not conductive to caring for small pets. Now I was surrounded by cats and the occasional dog. Those mostly staying in the yard and finding other families as more Ishvalan's returned to their homeland, Scar did not seem to have the same problem parting with dogs that he did cats. Having so many animals around all the time wasn't something that I minded as much as I thought I would, but it did take a certain amount of adjusting.

Making my way towards the kitchen with a trail of cats at my heel I followed the sound of singing. I came into the living room to see Scar with a fluffy white kitten in his arms like a baby. Missy loved attention and it was a good match to Scar who loved to give attention. I leaned against the wall as I listened to the rough timber of his voice as my lover sang some Ishvalan lullaby I didn't recognize. Amazed at the change a year could make. Scar was happy and full of love to give, the morning sun glowing on his brown skin, making him radiant. 

“Hello, my love.” Scar said when he saw me, his soft smile becoming wider. He was already dressed for the day and I had to assume that I had missed morning prayer. 

“Good morning Amal. You should have woken me when you left I would have come with to the temple.” I walked across the room to put my arms around him, leaning against his back, my cheek on his shoulder. 

“You looked too peaceful to wake. In any matter, it's your birthday today. You don't have to do anything, and if you had waited a bit longer I could have served you breakfast in bed.” Scar mumbled, as I traced the tattoos on his arms where I could around the bundle of fluff in his arms. My fingers lingering over scars, both ones I knew how he had earned and ones yet to learn about.

“You didn't have to do that. I can make my own breakfast.” I said, kissing his shoulder. Giggling as snowy tried to attack my fingers, sharp kitten teeth nibbling on my thumb. It was strange to not be working yet, or rather not allowed to, as in Ishval people did not work at all on their birthdays. Rather took the time to enjoy their families, and pray to Ishvala for the year they had, and for many more bountiful years to come. In Briggs you might get a cake and someone covering part of your shift if you were lucky.

But you hardly got a full free day that wasn't either mandatory, or went through many layers of approval, and being born just wasn't viewed as special enough to grant a free day. Even growing up you never got a day off unless you were lucky enough for it to be on a weekend. But when Scar had learned that today was my birthday, he was insistent enough I thought he might actually go hand to hand with someone. 

“I know you can, but today is to relax. Now let me get the pan out before breakfast burns.” Scar said, letting me take the kitten as he went to the stove. A wonderfully spiced smell filling the air, the scent of fresh bread the only one I recognized with the mix of desert spices. 

“What is that?” I asked while navigating my way towards the kitchen table. The room filling with cats, all meowing for treats, as Scar clattered around the kitchen preparing the meal for us. I didn't want to step on any paws as I tried to make my way through the mob. Scar might be the one that brought them all into the house, but I did care about them all too. Snowy jumped out of my arms to go try and climb Scar's pant leg.

“It’s a flat bread my mother would make for special occasions.” Scar shrugged, putting the platter on the table along with some berries and a pot of honey. He shooed the cats off the table, huffing a laugh as a few persisted, determined to steal bites of bread. Going to the cupboard Scar grabbed a handful of cat food, and threw it in the living room. Waiting for all the cats to scatter in hunt of extra food before closing the door to the kitchen. He then sat at the table and gave a quick prayer before waving for me to take the first piece.

“You know we're going to be cleaning kibble crumbs out of the floorboard forever now.” I laughed lightly as I took a piece of the bread and bit into it. Moaning at the explosion of flavor, spicy and sweet at the same time. I was so unused to how Ishvalan's used spice that everything Scar made was like a new found wonder. 

“Nonsense. The cats will clean up every scrap perfectly, and if there is anything that needs cleaning today I will do it. You will do no such thing.” Scar emphasized again. Slathering some honey on his bread, dropping berries on top. I mimicked him for my next piece of bread, oh this must be what heaven tasted like. The berries tart, and the honey a rich sticky sweetness, that was different yet complimentary to how the bread was sweet.

“Yes, I know, no work for me today. You’ve said that plenty of times before.” I reached for another piece of bread hungrily. I wasn't a bad cook. I could make things that were enjoyable and not just edible, but Scar was a good chef. Everything he touched turned out wonderful, and a brave man might say he mastered the alchemy of cooking long before he had his tattoos. 

“You’ve missed out on so much. It's only right that you take the time to enjoy the things you fight for. Otherwise, what is the point of having spent so much time trying to change people's thoughts on Ishval.” Scar reached forwards to swipe at honey at the corner of my mouth. He was so ready with words or insight or wisdom, and half the time I don't think he even realized he was doing it. I didn’t have to wonder why he chose the path of a priest, as it was something that came naturally in his every action when he let himself be who he was meant to be.

“I guess your right. Sometimes you get so caught up in the action of doing and working towards a goal, that you forget to think about what happens once you achieve it.” I smiled to myself. Watching with a different hunger as Scar licked his fingers clean of honey, but it was a soft warmth. Nothing that needed to be acted on now. More like laying on warm stones at dusk to remember the heat of the sun. 

“And what exactly is after, for you?” scar asked, taking another piece of bread fixing it with honey and more berries. A year ago I wouldn't even know how to answer, probably saying something along the lines of work at Briggs was never done. Then my want to change how people saw Ishvalan's had seemed so vague and unreachable. Even now that rebuilds were well underway and steadily progressing, there was so much to do that, it seemed that there could be no end to the list of what needed to be done. But on days I had the time to stop and ponder what it all meant. I couldn't help but think of calm nights on the couch with Scar, neither of us wanting anything more then to be close. 

"You. Nothing more, nothing less. Just the two of us together.” I held out my hand for scar, something he took without any more prompting. 

“I would like that too.” Scar said, it was quiet and filled with promises for tomorrow, and each other. Maybe some other time we could shape these wants into something more solid, more defined. But for right now I was happy with the warmth in my chest, and the flat bread shared between us, the cats meowing to be let into the kitchen. It was a moment of perfection. Maybe taking a day to do nothing but enjoy your loved ones and thank Ishvala for them, was actually the best idea anyone ever had.

**Author's Note:**

> I think that Scar is very much the type to have a house filled with stray cats. That he may or may not find other homes for. Being a crazy cat lady is not exclusive to old women, and I really don't think anyone would be brave enough to tell Scar that he cant have all those cats. Either because they are scared of Scar or can't stand how sad he gets. Anyways drop me a comment or request if you feel like it.


End file.
